By Nadeem Hanif www.thenational.ae
DUBAI // Taxi customers say cabs should be better maintained, there should be more cars on the road during peak hours and that drivers have a better knowledge of the city to justify an increase in fares.
Passengers gave a mixed response when asked if the quality of service offered by taxi firms in Dubai warranted the price hike announced by the Roads and Transportation Authority (RTA) last week. The rate for pre-booked fares will rise from Dh6 to Dh8 during normal hours and from Dh10 to Dh12 at peak times. Flag-fall rates have also increased from Dh3 to Dh5.
“Sometimes I’ve had a good driver, other times they have been really bad,” said Sandra Kelly, 29, from the UK, who works as a business consultant. “It really depends on the driver to be honest.”
Dirty seats and interiors were a major sore point for many customers, she said.
The RTA said the price rise would help to boost incomes for drivers and provide more motivation for them to improve the quality of service. But the move has irked many customers who feel it is a further increase in the costs associated with living and working in the emirate.
“I’m not in favour of the Dh2 increase because we already have to pay a minimum Dh10 for each journey,” Ms Kelly aid. “It’s just another added cost with the increase in rents that is making it more and more difficult to afford to live in the city.” More info
